Is this a good hire?....

[AstroDog]

I feel like it might be. If Courtney can get us into the talent rich Shelby Co. market, it might prove fruitful. A lot of elite speed available that many SEC schools dip into. We haven't really cultivated the Memphis market for football talent and we should. The only obstacle will be qualifying them.

Mississippi State expected to hire Memphis staffer Courtney Williams to top scouting position (on3.com)

 

[QMartinez]

There’s a ton of talent in the instate class of 24 , why not sign those players ? Isn’t that this staffs strategy ?

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

I feel like it might be. If Courtney can get us into the talent rich Shelby Co. market, it might prove fruitful. A lot of elite speed available that many SEC schools dip into. We haven't really cultivated the Memphis market for football talent and we should. The only obstacle will be qualifying them.

Mississippi State expected to hire Memphis staffer Courtney Williams to top scouting position (on3.com)

It's early but I'm liking our new strategy for recruiting. We really look like we are putting some real effort in strengthening and expanding the reach our recruiting staff. Memphis does has some good talent. I hope they keep looking here in Texas for skill players. Defense in Texas? Not so much.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

There’s a ton of talent in the instate class of 24 , why not sign those players ? Isn’t that this staffs strategy ?

Yes but BAMA, UGA, LSU and Auburn will get fir$t pick.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I feel like it might be. If Courtney can get us into the talent rich Shelby Co. market, it might prove fruitful. A lot of elite speed available that many SEC schools dip into. We haven't really cultivated the Memphis market for football talent and we should. The only obstacle will be qualifying them.

Mississippi State expected to hire Memphis staffer Courtney Williams to top scouting position (on3.com)

That's because we simply do not have much success there. Memphis is like an island, and everybody is equal there. There's no special loyalty to MSU like there is in other areas of the state. Not even in the Desoto suburbs, because those kids are usually just Memphis kids who moved out there for the schools. Baseball is a little different, since MSU is a power-type program.

 

[Dawgg]

There’s a ton of talent in the instate class of 24 , why not sign those players ? Isn’t that this staffs strategy ?

So... they shouldn't recruit outside the state? Bold Strategy, Cotton.

 

[QMartinez]

So... they shouldn't recruit outside the state? Bold Strategy, Cotton.

well, how are we doing with the top 20 in state recruits in 2024 ? That was supposed to be the staffs focus according to everything I’ve seen.

 

[Dawgg]

well, how are we doing with the top 20 in state recruits in 2024 ? That was supposed to be the staffs focus according to everything I’ve seen.

I don't know. How are we doing? Also, who gives a 17?
I like when we sign in-state kids too, but who cares as long as you get the players you want/need?

 

[the dog is on the loose]

I personally don’t care where the kids come from. Never have either. I’ve just never understood the “we have to win the in state recruiting”. Go wherever you have to go to get the talent. Ole crap does a pretty good job of going out of state and always has.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I don't know. How are we doing? Also, who gives a 17?
I like when we sign in-state kids too, but who cares as long as you get the players you want/need?

That's fine if you're just focusing on results. But to get the results you want, you have to create a process to get you those results. For MSU, the process has always been to concentrate on Mississippi, then take the leftovers from surrounding states or wherever your coach has an 'in'. Then of course JUCO, and now the portal (which takes into account another strategy in and of itself). For example, Jackie had someone on staff who had a ton of success in ATL and SW GA. Mullen concentrated on the Bama/Auburn/LSU leftovers in AL and LA. Leach had ties in Texas.

It seems Arnett is back to the Mullen model, which I like. You'd think Memphis would always be in that model but for whatever reason, we just haven't had much success there. Leftovers, sure, we get our share, like anywhere else. But Memphis shouldn't warrant any more effort than Birmingham, New Orleans or Mobile (and all rural areas in between).

The MS kids have ties at MSU, and that maximizes our chance of landing them. Simply put, this strategy gives us the best chance to sign the most talent. Period. There's no arguing this if you know anything about the history of MSU football. As I'm posing this @the dog is on the loose posts about Ole Miss....well, they are Ole Miss. They have a different football culture than us.

 

[QMartinez]

that 2024 class is a once in a every ten years crop of talent. It’s going to hurt if we whiff on that class. Fact

 

[Dawgg]

That's fine if you're just focusing on results. But to get the results you want, you have to create a process to get you those results. For MSU, the process has always been to concentrate on Mississippi, then take the leftovers from surrounding states or wherever your coach has an 'in'. Then of course JUCO, and now the portal (which takes into account another strategy in and of itself). For example, Jackie had someone on staff who had a ton of success in ATL and SW GA. Mullen concentrated on the Bama/Auburn/LSU leftovers in AL and LA. Leach had ties in Texas.

It seems Arnett is back to the Mullen model, which I like. You'd think Memphis would always be in that model but for whatever reason, we just haven't had much success there. Leftovers, sure, we get our share, like anywhere else. But Memphis shouldn't warrant any more effort than Birmingham, New Orleans or Mobile (and all rural areas in between).

The MS kids have ties at MSU, and that maximizes our chance of landing them. Simply put, this strategy gives us the best chance to sign the most talent. Period. There's no arguing this if you know anything about the history of MSU football. As I'm posing this @the dog is on the loose posts about Ole Miss....well, they are Ole Miss. They have a different football culture than us.

Few things here….

QMartinez presented it as an either/or proposition. I just don’t think it is. There’s no reason Memphis should be outside our recruiting footprint and I don’t think a hire with Memphis ties takes away from our instate recruiting. Like you said “wherever your coach has an 'in'”.

You’re correct that instate recruiting has filled the core of our roster. That being said, I feel like thinking it has to continue to be in the age of NIL and the transfer portal is short-sighted and outdated. I mean… you’re bringing up the way Jackie did it, but that was 20-30 years ago.

 

[Anon1664516582]

I like the fact that Courtney is coming from Memphis a hell of a lot more than from Washington State and never been to Mississippi like the girl did with Leach. Hell she was more worried about being seen by the camera on the sidelines that working with the recruits at the game.

 

[Cantdoitsal]

That's fine if you're just focusing on results. But to get the results you want, you have to create a process to get you those results. For MSU, the process has always been to concentrate on Mississippi, then take the leftovers from surrounding states or wherever your coach has an 'in'. Then of course JUCO, and now the portal (which takes into account another strategy in and of itself). For example, Jackie had someone on staff who had a ton of success in ATL and SW GA. Mullen concentrated on the Bama/Auburn/LSU leftovers in AL and LA. Leach had ties in Texas.

It seems Arnett is back to the Mullen model, which I like. You'd think Memphis would always be in that model but for whatever reason, we just haven't had much success there. Leftovers, sure, we get our share, like anywhere else. But Memphis shouldn't warrant any more effort than Birmingham, New Orleans or Mobile (and all rural areas in between).

The MS kids have ties at MSU, and that maximizes our chance of landing them. Simply put, this strategy gives us the best chance to sign the most talent. Period. There's no arguing this if you know anything about the history of MSU football. As I'm posing this @the dog is on the loose posts about Ole Miss....well, they are Ole Miss. They have a different football culture than us.

This. I was gonna post something similar. Every team has a finite amount of time and resources so you gotta hit those those places where your odds of landing are the highest first. I like the effort getting into Memphis as I've always thought we could do better there and Mempho does have a lot of talent to spread around. The Mississippi Delta starts in Natchez and ends at The Peabody Hotel.

 

[WilCoDawg]

Memphis belongs just as much to MS as it does TN. Lord knows the rest of TN wouldn’t notice if they changed their address to MS.

 

[retire the banner]

There’s a ton of talent in the instate class of 24 , why not sign those players ? Isn’t that this staffs strategy ?

What does recruiting in-state have to do with hiring a staffer to help recruit Memphis? We aren’t going to get every recruit in MS regardless of who is our HC. Arnett is already light years ahead in building a recruiting staff compared to his predecessors. We probably won’t fully see the benefits until ‘25 class, that’s just how recruiting works

 

[OG Goat Holder]

You’re correct that instate recruiting has filled the core of our roster. That being said, I feel like thinking it has to continue to be in the age of NIL and the transfer portal is short-sighted and outdated. I mean… you’re bringing up the way Jackie did it, but that was 20-30 years ago.

NIL is not something that's going to be an advantage for us with kids who already didn't have us on their radar.

Most of what little NIL we have will be spent securing the top level Mississippi defensive talent, like it has always been even back when it was on the black market.

Now, more than ever, we MUST commit to a recruiting strategy and execute it. "Just go find the talent" will not work for us.

 

[Dawgg]

I like the fact that Courtney is coming from Memphis a hell of a lot more than from Washington State and never been to Mississippi like the girl did with Leach. Hell she was more worried about being seen by the camera on the sidelines that working with the recruits at the game.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think he has the same position as Brittany Thackery.

 

[FQDawg]

There’s a ton of talent in the instate class of 24 , why not sign those players ? Isn’t that this staffs strategy ?

I feel like this should be obvious but just in case it isn't... Just because we hire a guy with Memphis-area ties doesn't mean he is only going to recruit Memphis. Also, this guy isn't going to be the only person scouting and/or recruiting players. We have the ability to recruit in-state AND Memphis AND other parts of the country.